How did we lose it--and can we ever get it back?

摘要

My father's maiden aunt came to live with us in November of 1947. Aunt Agnes had congestive heart failure and could no longer care for herself. But aunt Ag just got sicker. Her pulmonary edema worsened in spite of the digitalis and diuretics her doctor had given her. She then contracted pneumonia. Unable to breathe properly, she was terrified.Late on that cold November afternoon, my mother called the doctor. He made house calls. While we were waiting, my mother ordered my 4-year-old sister and me to load all of our empty redeemable glass bottles into my Radio Flyer wagon. Mary and I pulled and pushed that wagon half a mile to Fox's Delicatessen on Main Street. Mr Fox counted the bottles as my sister told him all about Aunt Ag and the doctor coming and how we needed to pay him. Mr Fox then handed me three Dollars 1 bills. Mary and I returned home, gave the money to my mother who laid the three Dollars 1 bills, like some trophy, on the kitchen table-ready for the doctor.